China: Bored with life, man tries to become tiger food in zoo

Beijing, Feb 19: In a bizarre incident, a Chinese man leaped into the enclosure in an attempt to get himself eaten by a tiger in the zoo.

The man miraculously escaped the 'clutches' of a bloody death when he offered himself as food to a tiger in a zoo enclosure in China, but the zoo staff saved him with only a few minor injuries.

Media described the man - Yang Jinhai - as "mentally disturbed". Being dissatisfied with a job that he had recently taken up, he wanted to sacrifice himself for the wild animal.

Before jumping into the enclosure, he said that he sympathised with the tiger that was forced to lead a restricted life in the zoo, as opposed to following his natural instincts that are to hunt and kill. Jinhai said that he was "sacrificing" himself for the happiness of the big cat. He danced around the enclosure to provoke the two white tigers inside. He even smeared red liquid all over the enclosure walls, which only confused the tigers instead of angering them.

Finally, one of the tigers attacked the man, leaving him with minor scratched and bites. Zookeepers had worked fast and tranquilised the big cat and apprehended Jinhai.